Handbag suspension clamp



Jan. 12, 1960 M. zEzuLA 2,920,369 HANDBAG SUSPENSION CLAMP y Filed Aug. 22, 1957 'lll/1111111111111 v IN V EN TOR. Mz/,y 2524/4 ,4

United States Patent() 2,920,369 HANDBAG SUSPENSION CLAMP Mary Zezula, Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 22, 1957, Serial No. 679,688 "7 Claims. (Cl. 24-252) The present invention relates generally to a resiliently biased clamping device and particularly describes such a device constituting an accessory to be carried and used in connection with a Womans handbag or purse.

ln its simplest form the device of the present invention includes two members which are relatively longitudinally movable each carrying, near opposite ends, a pivotally or otherwise swingably mounted clamping arm. The arms are swingable from an inoperative position substantially parallel to the axis of the longitudinally movable members to an operative position projecting from the members and virtually parallel to one another. The distance between the arms thus extended is variable by reason of the relative longitudinal movability of the members, and resilient means are provided for urging the arms toward one another; desirably the same resilient means urge the arms into collapsed, inoperative position. The parallel projecting arms are adapted to frictionally grasp an edge portion of a desk or table top therebetween. With a flexible suspension member, such as a chain or the like connected at one end to one of the movable members and at its other end to a handbag, the present device serves as a convenient suspension clamp for the handbag, and is readily attached to a supporting element and as readily detached therefrom at the will of the user.

In the particular illustrative form of the invention herein described and illustrated, the clamp includes an elongated hollow casing or frame, a longitudinally movable hollow slide member telescopically received in the frame, clamping arms pivotally connected at opposite ends of the frame and slide and arranged to be projectible from the lframe and slide in parallel relation, and resilient means urging the clamping arms into frictional clamping relation with an edge portion of a support to which a handbag or the like is to be attached. When released from clamping engagement with a support member, the device of the present invention, under the influence of the resilient means, assumes its compact assembled relation with the clamping arms enclosed within the slide, and the slide recessed into the frame. Means are provided to facilitate the opening of the device so that the clamping arms may be again attached frictionally to a support member, such means desirably including lifting fingers projecting from and desirably formed integrally with the clamping arms. When not actually serving as a suspension clamp, the device of the present invention is remarkably compact, and as will be readily understood as the description progresses, the exterior surfaces thereof may be decorated or configured in any desired manner in order to make the entire device an acceptable item of accessory jewelry for womens use.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to disclose a novel construction of a suspension clamp particularlyadapte'd for use as an item of womens accessory jewelry. Additional objects of the invention are to provide'a device of the above character having two relatively longitudinally movable members, each such ICC member carrying a pivotally mounted clamping arm; to provide in such a device a single resilient means for not only urging the clamping arms into parallel clamping relation with respect to a clamped supporting member, but also to urge the two relatively longitudinally movable members into assembled relation; to provide a device having the above characteristics which is remarkably economical to manufacture and yet reliable in use for its intended purpose; and for other and additional Objects and purposes as will be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a preferred form of the present invention clamped to an edge portion of a support member, with a handbag supended therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the device of the present invention with the arms in extended clamping position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the device of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 3 except showing the parts in collapsed or no -clamping position.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, there is indicated generally at 6 the edge portion of a desk, counter top or the like to which a handbag 7 is attached by chain 8 suspended from the clamp ofthe present invention indicated generally at 9. Clamp 9 includes (see Fig. 2) a hollow casing or frame indicated generally at 10, in the present instance rectangular in section. The frame includes a rear wall 12, side walls 14 and 16, and frontwalls 18 and 20, each of the front walls constituting an inturned end portion of the respective side walls 14 and 16; thus the front walls dene therebetween an open slot 22 extending the length of the frame 10.

An upper clamping arm indicated generally at 30 is pivotally connected to the frame 10 near the upper end thereof. In the present instance, this pivotal connection is afforded by a pivot pin 32 fixed to the lower surface of clamping arm 30 and having its outer ends rotatably journalled in bores 34 and 36 formed in side walls 14 and 16 respectively. Desirably the major portion of the length of arm 30 is bifurcated into spaced parallel clamping end portions 3S and 40, and means for digitally opening the clamping arm projecting actuating linger 42 on the other end thereof, by preference formed integrally with the major portion of the clamping arm 30. In the upper part of the rear wall 12, there is formed a Vertical slot 44 terminating downwardly at stop shoulder 46 (see Fig. 3). The shoulder 46 is in approximate horizontal alignment with the pivot pin 32 or slightly therebelow in order to permit the linger 42 to be depressed downwardly so that the plane of upper clamping arm 30 is approximately perpendicular to the axis of frame l0.

A slide member indicated generally at 50 is longitudinally movable relative to the frame 10. ln the present illustrative embodiment of the invention, the slide member 5t) is U-shaped in section, and is received slidably but not rotatably within the interior of the frame 110. Thus, the rear wall 52 (see Fig. 3) of slide 50 is adjacent the rear wall 12 of frame 10, while the side walls 54 and 5'6 of the frame are respectively adjacent side walls 14 and 16 of the frame. The front edges 58' and 60 of the slide lie within the frame l0 and are respectively adjacent the front walls 18 and 20 of the frame. v

A lower clamping arm indicated generally at 70 is pivotally connected to the lower end portion of slide S0 as by pivot pin '72 fixed to the arm 70 and having its outer ends rotatably journalled in lbores 74 and 76 formed in the side walls 54 and 56. The lower clamping arm 70 includes a clamping end portion and preferably an integrally formed rearwardly extending actuating linger on desirably include a rearwardly.

the other end thereof which, when the parts are in their positions as seen in Figs. l and 2, is received in a vertically disposed slot 84 formed in the lower part of the rear wall ,52 of the slide 50.V Stop shoulder 86 deiines the upper extent of slot S4 and serves as an abutment to limitmovernent of the linger 82 when the clamping arm is .extended into its clamping position seen in Figs. l and 2.

Resilient means are provided for urging the slide 5) upwardly into the frame lll, and also for urging the clamping arms and 70 toward one another. Desirably the resilient means consists of but a single resilient member, and inthe present embodiment of the invention, such member may take the form of spring 9@ which is fastened vat its upper and lower ends 92 and 94 to the upper and lower clamping arms 30 and 7l? respectively. The points of attachment 92 and 94 are spaced from the respective pivotal axes 32 and 72 toward the outer ends of the arms. Comparison of Figs. 3 and 4 will show the action of spring 90 in urging the component parts of the present device into the collapsed non-clamping position of Fig. 4, when no external force is applied thereto. Thus the spring 90 causes the upper clamping arm Sil to rotate counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 3 about the pivot 32, and simultaneously urges the lower clamping arm 70 to rotate clockwise about its pivot 72. The two arms are thus locked into their relative positions as seen in Fig. 4, and the resiliency of the spring 90 serves also to urge the slide 50 upwardly relative to frame 1t) into the positions seen in Fig. 4. In this position the lower clamping arm 7S is received between the bifurcated portions 38 and 40 of the upper clamping arm 30, so that the two clamping arms desirably assume a substantially co-planar relation within the frame.

The slide S0 should be no longer than the frame it), and desirably somewhat shorter than the frame so that the slide may be completely housed within the frame in the assembled position. Means may be provided to limit the upward movement of slide 56 within the frame and such means are here shown as including an inward projection or protuberance 96 formed on the side wall 16 of the frame and serving as a downwardly directed abutment shoulder against which the upper edge of the slide Si) abuts when the parts assume their position of Fig. 4.

The preferred use of the present device involves the suspension from a support of a handbag or similar device and for that purpose the chain 8 is attached at its upper end to a suitable attachment element lltlil fixed to the outer rear wall of the frame 10.

It will be readily understood that, with the parts in the collapsed assembled position of Fig. 4, the clamping arms may be opened to assume their parallel relationships as in Fig. 2, by digitally forcing the lingers 42 and 82 into their positions of Fig. 2. With the clamping arms 3l) and 7@ thus substantially parallel, the two arms can be drawn apart far enough to grasp the supporting member such as a table top or the like by forcing the slide 60 downwardly relative to the frame l0 against the force of spring 90.

The lower surfaces of the bifurcated parts 38 and 4i) of upper clamping arm 30, as well as the upper surface of lower clamping arm 70 may be provided with a thin layer of suitable frictional material 3.62 such as rubber or the like to assist those surfaces in frictionally gripping a supporting member therebetween.

The device of the present invention, and particularly the frame 10, may have an overall length in collapsed position as seen in Fig. 4 of only an inch or thereabouts, so that its small size facilitates decorating it and thus enhancing its appearance as a jewelry accessory. It may even be desirable to construct the clamp with one arm, such as the lower `arm iixed in clamping position, thus lending to the clamp in collapsed position an L-shaped appearance. Although the general shape of the clamp is illustratively herein shown as rectangular, it will be obvious that virtually any shape and contour may be used so long as the relatively slidable members are not relatively rotatable. The clamp may be made of yany suitable rigid material such as metal, plastic or wood.

Modifications and changes from the speciiic forms of the components of the invention hereinabove shown and described, will readily occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications and changes not departing from the spirit of the invention are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

l claims 1. A suspension clamp comprising: a longitudinally extending hollow frame having a slot formed along the front wall thereof; a hollow slide member longitudinally movably housed in the frame and projectable from the lower end thereof, and having an open front; an upper clamping arm pivotally mounted in the upper portion of the frame and having a clamping end portion for swinging movement between a collapsed position within the frame and slide member and an extended position projecting frontwardly therefrom through the open front of the slide member and the slot of the frame and including an actuat ing finger on the other end thereof projecting beyond the axis of pivotal mounting; a lower clamping arm pivotally mounted in the projectable portion of the slide member and having a clamping end portion swingable between a collapsed position within the slide member and an extended position projecting frontwardly therefrom, and including an actuating finger on the other end thereof projecting beyond the axis of pivotal mounting on the slide member; and resilientmeans urging the slide member upwardly into the frame and the clamping arms into their collapsed positions.

2. The invention as stated in claim l wherein the upper portion of said frame and the lower portion of the slide member include slots and stop shoulders formed therein to receive and limit movement of said lingers when the arms are in extended position.

3. A suspension clamp comprising: an elongated housing; a slide movable longitudinally of the housing; a first clamping arm pivotally carried by the housing for swinging movement between an operative clamping position generally perpendicular to the housing axis and an inoperative position generally parallel to said housing; a second clamping arm pivotally carried by the slide for swinging movement between an operative clamping posi- `tion generally perpendicular to said axis and an inoperative position generally parallel to said slide; and a single resilient means for urging said arms into their inoperative positions and for urging the pivotal axes of said arms together.

4. The invention as stated in claim 3 wherein said housing comprises a hollow frame and the slide is telescopically receivable therein.

5. The invention as stated in claim 4 including abutment means carried by the housing and abuttable against the slide to limit movement of the slide relative to the housing under the force of said resilient means.

6. The invention as stated in claim 3 wherein each said arm is provided with an actuating finger projecting beyond the pivotal axis of -the respective arm, the lingers projecting outwardly of the 'housing and slide, said housing and slide having slots and stop shoulders formed therein to receive and limit movement of said fingers when the arms are in extended position.

7. The invention as stated in claim l wherein the clamping end portion of one of said clamping arms is bifurcated to provide parallel spaced portions, the clamping end of the other clamping arm being receivable in between said parallel spaced portions when the arms are in their collapsed positions.

References vCited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

